


The Fall of the King

by brokencrown



Series: Endramor Chronicles [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Fantasy, Medieval, Middle Ages, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-05-30
Packaged: 2018-04-01 22:39:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4037197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokencrown/pseuds/brokencrown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>King Darron Osmont of Endramor grows concerned as his two sons John and Arryn are not fit heirs to the throne.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this original work with a certain cast of actors in mind and I hope that sharing this cast will help shape the story a bit! The cast will be updated as chapters are posted. 
> 
> Cast:
> 
> Prince Arryn Osmont - Tom Hiddleston  
> Prince John Osmont - Michael Fassbender  
> King Darron Osmont - Anthony Hopkins

The skies were pure and blue littered with singing birds but all that filled Prince Arryn's ears was the silence of his empty chamber. He had been staring at the chandelier made of elk antlers hanging above his bed for what seemed like hours. Silence. He closed his eyes. It was so soothing he could lose himself in it. Just as he was thinking of turning over in his furs and taking a nap a figure burst through the door and strode to the window, opening the curtains and allowing the sunlight to assault Arryn's eyes.

"Brother, have you any idea what time it is?"

"No, brother. I haven't." Arryn sat upright in his bed, pulling the linens to cover his body.

"It is time to get out of bed. The meadery opens in a few hours," John said. Arryn gave him a look of disbelief. He had not recovered from their drunken adventure from the night before or from the night before that. John had quite the love affair with ale and women and Arryn had no trouble keeping up, but feared his body could not handle another night of fun with his brother.

"I have a bet with one of the guards who says I cannot drink twenty ales and return on my horse," he replied. Arryn snorted. The last time John made a bet with one of the guards it ended with him lying in a pool of his own vomit on the floor of the meadery.

"Good brother, you very well may be able to drink twenty ales and return or your horse but it will be as a corpse."

"The point is not to win the bet," John retorted. Arryn rose from his bed and shook his head, padding to his dresser.

"Then what, may I ask, is the point?"

"The point is to go drinking with my brother and have a fun time, of course!" John slapped Arryn on the back. "What exactly did you have planned, anyway? You cannot stare at the ceiling all day." John was always first to notice when Arryn was in a mood and never allowed him to stay in that mood. Arryn smiled as he buttoned his tunic.

"You win."

John grinned at his victory. He walked to the door and turned back to Arryn just as he was leaving.

"See you in an hour," he said and disappeared.

The princes were seven years apart in age, John being the eldest, but that did not reflect on how close they were as brothers. Since they had been young they were practically inseparable. What will I do with him Arryn thought as he finished lacing his boots. There was a knock on the door.

"Yes?"

"The king wishes to see you, m'Lord." Winifred, the nurse who had tended to Arryn and John since their birth stood in the doorway. She was a short, old woman with kind eyes and kind words to match. The two brothers were fond of her. They had grown more fond of her since their mother's death seven years past.

"What does he want?"

"He did not say, m'Lord," Winifred replied. He wished she would call him Arryn, but knew she was just doing her duty.

"I will be down shortly."

"Good, m'Lord." Arryn sighed as Winifred closed the door behind her. He glanced at himself in the mirror as he he ran his fingers through his hair, combing through the tangled locks. Arryn was not particularly fond of speaking with his father. The two had always been estranged. John had been closer to their father in childhood but they too became estranged. He bounced down the stone steps, nodding to each member of the court he passed as he made his way to the throne room.

"Father," Arryn said as he approached the throne.

"My son," Darron Osmont King of Endramor stood as his son approached. "I am happy to see you here--"

To others it might seem that this was a warm welcome, but Arryn knew there was more than what his father offered on the surface.

He took a deep breath.

"I am happy to see you here and not in some brothel with your half-witted brother."

There it was.

"And I you, father."

"Watch your tongue," the king replied.

"You called me here for a reason, I presume."

"There is talk of you and your brother taking yet another trip to that meadery in Esterfield. I will not have it, Arryn. Do you understand?" The king was growing irate. Quickly. Arryn could see from the corner of his eye that John was spying from behind a column. He had no patience for a lecture.

"We wouldn't dream of it, father."

"Get out of my sight." The king was no fool and knew Arryn's sarcasm. He motioned with his hand signaling for his son to exit the room.

Arryn bowed and turned, eyeing John as he left the throne room. John met him outside the castle.

"What an arse."

"He's concerned," Arryn replied.

"Concerned about what?"

Though John was older, he seemed to be more blissfully naive. Arryn knew the throne was all that occupied his father's thoughts and King Darron's reign would soon be over from the looks of the old man. Arryn looked John in the eye and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Come, brother. No more talk of this. Let us have the time of our lives."

\---

John and Arryn arrived at the meadery, the smell of alcohol overwhelming their nostrils as they entered. The first time they came to the meadery they were met with confusion and cold stares from the patrons. Everyone was uneasy and did not know how to behave in the presence of princes. However, after many returns, the brothers had made fast friends with the usual patrons of Esterfield Brewery. The owner greeted them with a grin, handing each of them their favorite ales.

"My good Lords, I almost didn't recognize you it's been s'long." The three of them chuckled as John gave the jolly man a pat on the back. "You know we never can go very long without seeing your beautiful face, Hob." John looked around the room and spotted a golden haired woman eyeing him. "To be continued, Hob." And with that, John disappeared.

Arryn claimed his place at the bar and took a drink of ale. The taste was as familiar as a warm bed on a cold afternoon. A woman sat next to him and stared at him for a few moments before Arryn gave her a glance. "Remember me," the woman asked slyly. The ale spewed from Arryn's mouth as he recalled his time with this strange woman in the alleyway a few nights back. Hob was laughing behind the bar.  
Arryn thought hard about what to say and couldn't think of a single thing. He rose from his seat and motioned for Hob to get her a drink as he retreated to the other end of the room.

These festivities will be the death of me, he thought. Hours and many drinks passed before John reappeared unable to stand and being held up by two half-clothed women. His appearance left nothing to the imagination as to what had transpired in the backroom.

"Oh, my brother," Arryn said with a laugh as he exchanged his ales with the women for his brother's limp body. They made for a sorry sight carrying each other out of the brewery, neither of them fully capable of walking.

John grabbed the reigns of his horse and attempted to jump up onto its back only to land face first in the mud. Arryn fell to the ground from laughter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cast: 
> 
> Prince Arryn Osmont - Tom Hiddleston  
> Prince John Osmont - Michael Fassbender  
> King Darron Osmont - Anthony Hopkins  
> Garrick Osmont - Alan Rickman  
> Henry Osmont - Benedict Cumberbatch  
> Serana - Cara Delevingne

"My son. My heir. The future king of this realm," the king spat. Each word escaped his lips in competition with the last to be heard. John and Arryn had been greeted to the castle with a forceful dismantling from their horses by two of the guards to be dragged into the throne room and thrown before their father. John was in horrible condition. He had not been able to keep the contents of his stomach on the journey. Arryn was just grateful that he had finally been able to mount his poor horse.

"Behold," Darron mocked to the guards and present members of the court as John fell to the ground. "Behold the future king. You are a disgrace. And you no better." The king turned his attention to Arryn. "You would think with two sons, at least one of them would be a worthy heir. The gods have made a mockery of me with the two of you. You have left me with no choice..."Arryn grew anxious as he sensed the energy of the room changing. "I have written to my brother and declared him my heir." He sobered instantly.

"WHAT?" John yelled as he stumbled to standing position. "You can't do that!"

"Oh, I surely can and I have," King Darron replied smugly.

"Father, how could you possibly think uncle Garrick--" Arryn started. Garrick Osmont was a stone-faced, hard man whose concern was of no one but himself. Anyone who had been in his presence could agree that he would make a poor ruler.

"Enough! I warned you, Arryn. Gave you a chance, even, and you spat in my face," Darron interrupted. It was Arryn who had had enough of his father. He looked over at John with sad eyes.

"Come," Arryn said gently as he laid his brother's arm across his shoulder and led him to his chamber.  
John's face grew somber as Arryn helped him into his bed.

"I am a fool."

"No, brother," Arryn replied. He looked down at his brother and saw a small boy in him. John was cracking and it hurt Arryn to watch him.

"I am. I am no brother to you. Look at you," John snorted. "Following in my footsteps and all I bring to our family is shame."

"I feel nothing but pride to be your brother, John." Arryn pulled the linens over John's body and put a hand to his cheek.

"Uncle Garrick is horrible," John whispered as he closed his eyes.

"You're right about that."

Arryn and John had been close with their cousin Henry in childhood when their uncle would visit. They wrote him letters until the age of eighteen when Henry stopped responding. News traveled to them that Garrick had sent him away to a disciplinary school. Arryn waited until he thought John was asleep and made his way out of the room and into his own. Sleep found him so quickly he had no time to ponder what the castle would be like with Garrick in it.

He rose earlier than usual. The scent of bacon and raspberry tarts rose from below luring him to the dining hall. He grabbed a slice of bacon and a cinnamon roll as he journeyed to the courtyard. There he found John slumped over and seated on the fountain. Arryn sat next to him and offered his cinnamon roll. He shook his head and stared into the distant mountains deep in thought. Arryn hated to see his ordinarily jolly brother so melancholy.

"How about we go hunting this afternoon," Arryn offered gently. "We haven't done that in a while."

"I appreciate your efforts, Arryn."

Arryn put an arm around his brother.

"Come now, everything will be al--"

"Alright?!" John's melancholy turned to frustration. "How can you say that? Do you know what I've done? What we've done? We've brought eternal shame on our family, our ancestors, our children if we ever find a woman kind enough to bear them. When is the last time a king has had to name his brother the heir instead of his sons? You tell me."

"The throne was never a concern of yours before now."

"Of course not! I didn't think it needed to be," John said with desperation in his voice. "I would have changed. I would have -- I don't know."

"I know you would have. You needn't tell me, John." If there is one person Arryn believed in it was John. He knew in his soul that his brother would make a wonderful king, a loving king.

"What have we done?" John's eyes were pleading for answers, for comfort.

"Nothing that cannot be changed, my dear brother." John closed his eyes and bowed his head as Arryn spoke. "Now, what say you to hunting?"

\---

The arrow quivered next to John's face, his concentration centered on the elk standing a mere ten feet from him. Arryn looked on with wide eyes. It was sure to be a perfect shot. A giant thunderclap sounded and the skies opened up releasing a gush of heavy rain. The arrow missed by centimeters as the elk ran for shelter.

"Where did this come from?" Arryn shouted.

They mounted their horses and searched for the path to the main road but could not see the ground at all.

"This way!" John called.

By the time the rain stopped they were in unfamiliar land.

"I see smoke," Arryn said. "We can ask how to get to the road."

They came across a small moss-covered cottage with a beautiful garden of hydrangeas. John led the horses to the small stables as Arryn knocked on the front door. There was no answer. As he turned away he narrowed his eyes as he glanced at the smoke coming from the chimney. He knocked again.  
A female voice responded.

"I have a dagger."

John looked at Arryn with raised eyebrows and let out a breathy laugh.

"We seem to be lost and simply wish to know how to get to the main road," Arryn said.

The door cracked open for a moment before opening fully to reveal a figure that left both John and Arryn without words.

"You're both dripping wet and you are quite a distance from the main road," the figure said, stepping aside to guide them inside. "Come, I have a fire going."

"What is your name?" John asked.

"Serana," she replied. Her hair was long and a pale golden color with eyes as blue as the sky. "Take off what you will and I will put them in front of the fire to dry."

They both exchanged looks and removed all but their breeches and handed them to her.

"And who are the two of you?" She asked as she hung their clothing. They stammered their names at the same time before starting again.

"John Osmont of Highbridge."

"Arryn Osmont of...Highbridge."

"Brothers," Serana grinned and turned to face them. "Those names are familiar."

John and Arryn were taken aback. Do all people of the realm not know who we are? they wondered.

"We are the sons of King Darron, my lady," said John.

"Ah, yes. No need for formalities, Prince John." Serana smirked. She had a shyness about her but was daring in her speech. "I apologize for the initial greeting. I don't see many visitors."

A thousand thoughts ran through John's head and none of them were appropriate to say aloud.

"What brings you to Brightwater?"

"We're in Brightwater?" Arryn asked with disbelief. They were half a day's journey from the castle and the sun was beginning to set. Serana gave him a confused look. "We were hunting and a storm came from nowhere. We became lost rather quickly."

Serana looked thoughtful as she poured each of them a mug of ale. John and Arryn sat across from each other at the dining table beside the fireplace.

"Highbridge is quite the journey from here," she said as she looked out the window.

Arryn could predict where she was going.

"Oh, no. We would not want to inconvenience you--"

"So we will pay you coin if you will allow us to sleep here for the night," John interrupted. Arryn kicked him under the table and John stared back pointedly. There was one bed in the upstairs loft, Arryn observed. As if we weren't already in enough trouble he thought.

The three of them drank and laughed far into the night. Serana and Arryn were exchanging opinions on the Lord of Brightwater when John let out a soft snore. Arryn smiled and layed him out gently on the floor, covering him with a fur Serana handed him.

"You're close?" Serana asked as she sat down on the floor in front of the fire.

"Very," Arryn replied. He plopped down next to her, having had more ale on an empty stomach than he should have.

"Very heartwarming to see," Serana said. "Men are always at odds with one another it seems. Especially brothers."

Arryn nodded.

"You live here alone?" He asked.

"Yes," Serana replied.

"Have you always been alone?"

"I think I will go to bed now," she said. Arryn looked at her confused.

"Have I offended you, my lady?"

"No, Prince Arryn." Serana looked away for a moment and then back to Arryn. "There are things I wish to not speak of."

"You only need say so," Arryn responded.

They sat in silence for a while until Arryn's eyelids became so heavy he could not fight them. He rested his head against a leg of the table and all was dark.

\---

The brothers woke to the smell of sweet rolls and sausage Serana had served on the dining table. They both rose and devoured the breakfast, not realizing how hungry they had been until the flavors hit their tongues.

"I packed some food for your journey," Serana announced from the kitchen.

"Thank you," John said. "You are a talented cook."

Once they had finished their meal and their stomachs were satisfied, they collected their clothing from the fireplace and dressed. John placed a purse full of coins on the table.

"For your trouble," he explained.

"That won't be necessary, Prince John."

"Just John. No need for formalities." He smiled. "Thank you for your kindness. We must set off."

John grabbed her hand and kissed it before leaving Serana and Arryn alone.

"Will I see you again?" Arryn asked.

"That is for you to decide." She grabbed the coin purse and placed it in his pocket with a smile. "Goodbye, Prince Arryn."

He ran his fingers over the bulge of the coins in his pocket as he mounted his horse.

"What a mysterious woman," John said.

"Aye, my brother. That she is." He tossed John the purse and they set off to Highbridge.


End file.
